spring vibes 2016.

Why hello there lovelies. It has been a hot and a cold minute since I’ve dropped by on the good ol’ blog, and I apologize for my absence.  What excuse(s) do I even have this time.. nothing worth mentioning.. (sleep, work, etc), the boring usual. Anyhow, with spring here in our presence (finally) we can get down to business and welcome the nice weather and everything else that comes along with this moment of rebirth! Here it goes..

• First and foremost, can we talk about this moment I’m having with this shade of pink?! aka Rose Quartz, according to Pantone. It’s a strange phenomenon, I must say; I’m usually decked out in all black with maybe some hints of grey/white or the occasional burgundy, but I am really felling this blush toned hue. I pair and mix it with some black or ripped denim to edge it up a bit and it fits into my wardrobe seamlessly.
  (images via pinterest)
• To continue with the blush bit, this Essie nail polish, Topless & Barefoot complements my outfits like no other. It adds just enough color where it’s noticeable and enough neutrality where it keeps me in my comfort zone. Love.
• The oh so coveted and talked about Nars Matte Velvet Skin Tint. My oh my, how has it taken so long for a product of this sort to come to the beauty realm?! It’s extremely lightweight, feels like nothing is on the skin and it still somehow provides so much coverage that isn’t sacrificed due to the fact it’s a “skin tint”. And, the best part, it contains SPF, a relatively high amount too. This is the perfect base for the warmer months.
• And what pairs PERFECTLY with the Nars, is Too Faced’s Hangover Rx Primer– wowwee. It creates the best smooth and hydrated canvas for the base to sit on without allowing the product to slip off. It smells amazing and looks great on it’s own too.
• To keep the paws hydrated, the Origins Make a Difference Rejuvenating Hand Treatment has been my JAM. It’s light, ultra moisturizing, NON-greasy, and smells amazing.
• My year round, and especially ATM scent has to be this Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir cologne. It’s fruity and musky at the same damn time and just works perfectly for day or night & year-round..
• As for the hair, I want my locks to have volume but not feel weighed down by all the products and this Bumble & Bumble Thickening Mousse does just that.
• From Aritzia, I have a few year-round spring favorites, such as the Babaton Clark Tank, Citizens of Humanity’s Liya Torn Jeans, Community’s Veritas button up, and Talula’s Bandana square. If these aren’t staple pieces, then I don’t know what is. The tank is not too sheer, not too tight and not too low– perfection (also comes in the blush color). The jeans are the perfect “girlfriend” fit where they aren’t too loose that you lose your shape and aren’t too tight where they look like any old pair of skinny jeans. The button up is made of cotton and linen, so it’s very breathable and layers perfectly.  And the bandana, well, if you haven’t seen these guys on the streets before, they are having a moment of stardom by adorning people’s necks, wrists and heads. Keep yours eyes out for these bad boys. (image via pinterest) 
• Ok, the mules. whew. I’ve been looking high and low for the perfect mule, and when I say perfect, I mean they needed to be ALL black with a low enough heel where they can be worn all day for 8+ hours, and I didn’t want to spend too much. I almost bought some 3.1 Phillip Lim ones though. But! Luckily, good ol’ Jeffrey Campbell saved the day with these bad boys. They’re so comfy, so cute, and so chic. LOVE.

Spring is a time for rebirth, so out with the old and in with the new! Ditch the tan and embrace this new shade of pink and use this new nude-ish shade instead. You’ll thank me later. xox.

January Favorites!

This month contained the following… a pretty intense rain storm (the beginnings of El niño, I suppose..), finding mold in my home along the wall, and some major makeup faux pas. So one may say that it can be tough to have any favorites from this month at all… but I managed to look past all that and see the bright side. So these items being my favorites, it’s quite an understatement considering they actually are what kept me going this dreary month! So, without further adieu…

1. Adele – 25. Such an amazing voice, album and person. (unrealistic) goals. I have been listening to this album NON-STOP and it hasn’t gotten old. I never listen to albums all the way through, let alone on REPEAT. Upbeat yet emotional, love it.
2. Lancome Teint Idole 24 Hour longwear Foundation – Buff 230 W. For once, a foundation that lasts! YEEHAW. I’ve been searching high and low for foundations for what I like to think is my entire life! But, I seem to have found it… for now.. I’ll do another blog post about my foundation hunt.
3. Urban Decay Setting Spray – Chill. Refreshing and cooling, I think this one may work better than the All-Nighter Spray….?!
4. Boscia Sake Balm. Heavenly. Divine. Beyond soft. Such a beautiful product, I would sample this on my hand every trip to Sephora, and I finally caved and have been able to put it all over my face… and wow, just wow. Hydrating but light. Although I haven’t tried during the day under makeup yet… Will report more on that later.
5. Fresh Rose Toner Spray. It’s like a mini rose shower for your face that hydrates and leaves a nice soft glow on the face. I use this morning and night, every day. I like how it’s not an overtly obnoxious rose scent either, its just the right amount of rose.
6. Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip treatment. During these harsh months, this stuff has been my go-to, either under other lip products or simply on its own. Day and night. So good.
7. Sephora Cream Lip Stain – 01 Always red. Seriously probably the best lip stain, better than KVD- longer lasting and more hydrating.
8. Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Body Oil. What a cool, fun and unique way to lather up! It smells good too, not typically a scent I would go for, but it smells fresh and nice. Pretty hydrating too, not overly, but the perfect amount I would say, and in the winter.
9. Making a Murderer. Do I even need to say anymore… just go. watch. it. now. Netflix will hook you up.

Bloggin Essentials.

Do you have what it takes to be a blogger? Do you have at least 2 extra hours per day that you can spare for this? Do you have the extra funds to pay for all the essential equipment? I want to say yes, oh, how badly do I want to say YES, YES I DO. But in reality, working 40 hours a week and having to pay for rent, its not as easy as it seems. But, with the new year here, I truly do want to try and fully commit to this and see what can potentially come from it, even if it means it’s just a compilation of my thoughts and lists and or must-haves, etc. that only I  would read, ha.
So, here is a list compiling the things I would need to actually get this blog on the roll…
1. A Camera! right now I have only been using my iPhone5S which doesn’t have any memory left for me to take pictures…. so this is what one would might consider is MUCH NEEDED. Option 1, Sony. (If anyone has any camera suggestions, that are also affordable, less than $700, holla at me!)
2. Photoshop + Illustrator. Check! The 2 things I actually already own, which is a nice area to check off, considering I no longer have the ability to claim a student discount on, which saved me loads of $$$.
3. Iphone6s. Soon, soon, my sweet. My “free” upgrade is right around the corner..
4. My own domain. http://www.cattyw0mpuss.com would be nice, however, I am considering other blog name options too….
5. A Planner. Ok, first off, I’ve always, ALWAYS, loved stationary things from journals to paper clips, and I always buy them and never end up using it. I might for a hot little minute, and then that dream is gone. So, if I am really going to take the seriously, I need to get a planner and actually USE it.
6. Time!!! As I mentioned above, I need to set myself time to complete these tasks. Blogging ain’t easy people, it might look like it, but there’s actually quite a lot that goes into it behind the scenes that not many people are aware of or ready for. And, I think I am ready to tackle this, for sure this time.. hopefully!

Wish me luck!
xo Shelby

Cookin’ & Bakin’

Ah, The beloved kitchen! It’s warm, it’s bright, it smells good & it’s where all the magic happens; everyone is happy in the kitchen! Therefore, a nice kitchen really makes alllll the difference. Although, I must admit, I don’t really use the kitchen myself, unless I’m grabbing myself some snacks or making some tea. Fortunately, I have been blessed with a domestic bf who does all the cooking (and dishes!), spoiled, I know. But I must admit again, it’s quite a shame considering I come from quite a “foodie” family, I have 2 uncles who are chefs and my mom and grandpa always have made home-cooked meals, which I grew up on, but I guess I just never really found the cooking part enjoyable; eating on the other hand, now that’s the fun part! And decorating the kitchen too, of course!

So these are some inspiration pix of how I want our kitchen to look, but one thing I noticed that will be pretty hard to replicate, is the nice bright quality that these kitchens get with a nice big window, since we don’t have any windows in the kitchen :(. But I think once we finish painting it with the semi-gloss paint, it will essentially become a lot brighter on it’s own. We haven’t done much to the kitchen yet at all, except paint it about 80% with the wrong paint (eggshell rather than semi-gloss, that’s what happens when you leave the boys to do it…) and we got ourselves a lovely and practical kitchen cart from Ikea.  The tiling for the kitchen counter is really cool, definitely a statement piece– art deco type of tiling using yellow, mint and beige tiles. Sounds crazy, I know, but so cool. (I’ll post pix soon!) The kitchen also came equipped with built in cabinets or looks more like a china display case, very much of the era. The stove could be replaced, sometime down the road, and obviously a Smeg fridge would look rather dashing in there (goals!).

Moving-coma.

Aye Aye Aye! It’s been a while, I know; but for a good reason! This past month has been quite laborious, stressful, and intense to say the least. I mentioned previously in my last post that I found a new house (!!!) hence my absence.  I wish I could be like the gals from A Beautiful Mess and seamlessly and effortlessly blog/photograph and all that jazz during the whole process, but I’m not.. My bf and I have jobs where we work 40 hours a week and literally don’t have time for all that. We just want to get it done and move on with it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have before and after photos, because I do! Which I’ll share at a later date. For now, let me give you the low-down on this new place…
It’s an old Oakland home, which we don’t (yet) own, still just a rental for us, but we plan to maybe, hopefully buy it sometime down the road. So, with that being said, we are making it our home and adding a few superficial improvements to the place on our own dime. It was built in 1892 which means there’s a lot of history in this place! And you can tell, it has a lot of quirks and charm, therefore making it ironically and coincidentally cattywampus.
It has 1 bedroom, an office/dressing room, an actual dining room and a fabulous living room that gets amazing natural sunlight, with a fire place, oh and hello, a MASSIVE backyard! Which, that definitely is NOT the norm for Oakland. So we’ve quite lucked out with the place. I can’t wait for the upcoming summer to work on the backyard, that’s an entire project I haven’t even had time to think about.
So far, we’ve removed all of the nasty old carpet, which was quite a project because under all the old carpets was the ugliest 70’s linoleum flooring and beneath that is some cool plank wood flooring, which is where it is now. However, under the carpets in the dining room was gross ceramic tile flooring which we kicked to the curb and we will then add vinyl wood flooring. The other rooms, where we’ve kept the wood flooring, we sanded and glossed over – it’s by no means “perfect wood flooring” since we only hand sanded it; but it’s ok, it still looks ok with it’s imperfections.
There’s still a lot that needs to be done, but at least we managed to get it to just 5 boxes left to clear and a few bags holding our artwork, which I’m waiting to put up until all the walls are painted. I have so much more wall space to work with now, I don’t even know where to begin!
But, I have the next 3 days off, so here I go to make some progress! I’ll share more with you soon ya’ll!

HOME INSPO: LIVING ROOM

My first home post! Something I haven’t talked about much on here but I would love to cover more of is INTERIORS. With my constant desire for arranging, organizing and curating something that is visually pleasing and practical is something I truly enjoy. Not only do I just have an eye for this type of stuff, but I also have a degree in fashion and visual merchandising; so yes, one can say it’s definitely a passion of mine!
And I am happy to say, a lot more home posts will happen, because I am MOVING! I can’t begin to say how happy I am! My boyfriend and I are not just moving, but moving into a HOUSE! Ok, so it’s not our house, it’s still a rental; BUT, I’m still oh so very excited, because although it may not be our house, we still have a lot of liberty to alter it and make it our own home; which I am freakin’ juiced about.
So, with that being said, here’s some ideas and inspiration for our new home…
*disclaimer: These images are not taken by me but have been selected by me via various sites from Pinterest.

So, I don’t have any pictures of the new place yet, but I do plan on doing some before and after photos, so look out for that! We have much renovation to do to our new place to achieve the desired look(s) above, and boy am I excited to implement such creativity! Two weeks til we move in and I can’t wait! Until then, just expect a bunch of home inspirational posts!

THE ULTIMATE PAMPER SESH

Relax, take your mind off of things, smell the roses and just let it go… with these suggested products tested by yours truly, you can do just that. Working 40 hour weeks takes a toll on the mind and body and it is CRUCIAL to take the time to sort out these things with some much needed TLC. Every time I take the time to go into full on pamper mode, I always feel more relaxed, at ease and have a peace of mind, so I try to squeeze it in about once a week!

BODY:
-Give yourself a good ol wash with on of your favorite body washes. One of mine is Lush’s shower jelly in Woosh, which is meant to keep your mind alert and refreshes all around and man, does it smell good!!!
-Then I like to give my bod a good ol scrub with Ocean Salt Sea Scrub, also from Lush. It’s exfoliating and hydrating all at the same time and great for the hands & tootsies too! It also preps the legs perfectly for a good shave.
-For the shave, I have a few different shaving creams and gels, but what feels like the most lush is coconut oil! It’s sooo softening and moisturizing, I love it. (Warning: Does cause the bathtub to become rather slippery! So be careful!)
-Then, the best for last, Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner! This stuff is quite magical; it’s a lotion that you put on your body when it’s wet, give yourself a nice massage with it on, and then rinse it off. It smells of sweet rose and argan oil while leaving a very subtle and pleasant scent on the body and is extremely hydrating while not being the least bit heavy.

HAIR:
-Starting when in the shower, use a shampoo and conditioner that has your favorite scent and serves a function for your hair type too. My favorite is OGX’s Thick & Full Shampoo and conditioner that contains biotin and collagen to help boost volume and strength. Smells so damn good too, of sweet figs and berries with a nuttiness to it too, ah, just divine.
-Then, once I’m out of the shower, I wait for my hair to become damp and run it through with a wide toothed brush and apply my coveted Caviar Hair CC Cream.
-To make it extra special, I then give my ends some Argan Oil with promotes strength and shine.
-Then i top it all off with Bumble & Bumble’s Brilliantine cream, which meant to, “give hair polish and a sort of languid, slept-in, sexy look with separation and extra sheen.”

FACE:Ah! The real fun part, focusing on the face! It’s not a true pamper sesh without the face masks, am I right? YES. So, here it all really depends on how my face is looking and feeling.
-If I’m quite spotty, then I’ll use Glamglow’s Purifying mask or Origin’s Clear Improvements Mask— both have charcoal which helps to dry up existing spots and then pulls out impurities to help prevent any new ones.
-If my face is dry, then I’ll use either Peter Thomas Roth’s Cucumber Gel Mask or Fresh’s Rose Hydrating Mask. Both are great, but i think Fresh’s is more hydrating where PTR’s is more cooling and calming which helps with spots too.
-If my face is pretty clear then I may opt for a brightening mask, perhaps the Mario Badescu Whitening Mask or Glamglow’s Brightening Mask.
(May sound crazy, but this isn’t even my complete mask collection…. which is giving me an idea for another blog post…)
-Then I continue with my skincare routine.

LIPS/MOUTH:
-Want lipstick to go on smoother and look better? especially matte lip colors? Then Lush’s Lip Scrub is your savior! Its sugary and sweet and gets the job done.
-Then for some hydration once the dead skin is out of the way, Kaplan Md has you covered. This duo kit is prescribed for the perfect pout with a lip mask to help with hydration and fine lines. And it also comes with some pretty heavy duty lip balm with SPH 20 (tastes gross though).
-Then I like to bust out my Crest White Strips! For the amount of coffee and tea I drink, it’s much needed..

NAILS:
-Both feet and hands should be well exfoliated and well hydrated by now, if you need some more hydration, maybe due to excessive washing of the hands, like me, then Josie Maran’s Argan Body Butter will be a delight to apply. It’s a subtle fruity/citusy scent (Sweet Citrus) and is lightweight, but still packs a punch in the hydration department and leaves a nice sheen on the skin.
-Then, once my nails are nail polish free, I apply Lush’s Lemony Flutter to my cuticles– this has transformed my manicures. I haven’t had dry or cracked or irritated cuticles in a long while and I believe I have this to thank for it.
-For my base coat, I use Formula X’s Sheer Strength in Pink Porcelain polish which looks great on its own and works very well at keeping my nails strong, for I usually have really weak and brittle nails.
-Apply the nail varnish as so and the best top coat to top it allllll off is Essie’s Gel Setter top coat.

And there you have it, your very own complete guide to relaxation! Enjoy everyone, hope you have a beyond relaxing day and or night!

HOW TO: create a flawless base

We all want that flawless, air brushed, no-makeup-makeup look; and by George, I think I’ve found it! At least, the closest version I’ve created to achieve that look. With the proper skincare routine, it will be one step closer to getting a smooth and clear surface for your makeup. With a lot of trial and error, I found these are the products and tools that work best; who knows, there may be better out there, but for now, this is the best I got and I’m happy with it!
PRODUCTS USED IN ORDER OF APPLICATION:
1. Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer using hands
2. DiorStar Skin Fluid Foundation (shade 020) used with either Real Techniques Buffing Brush OR Real Techniques Beauty Blender ($5 vs $20 for the actual Beauty Blender)
3. Sephora Bright Future Gel Concealer under eyes in the triangle shape and on the chin and in between the eyebrows up on to the forehead to create a brightening/highlighted effect to add dimension to the face. Buff out with Sephora AirPro Concealer Brush or Beauty Blender. (Shade: Fondant 03, TIP: use a few shades lighter than your normal shade to create the highlighted effect)
4. IF you have any severe spots that are still peeking through the foundation and need a little extra coverage, that’s where the Nars Creamy Radiant concealer comes into play. This concealer is too thick for under the eyes, in my opinion, so this is what I use to conceal spots. Be sure to use your real or actual shade here. (Shade: Custard)
5. Set the base with Burberry Nude Powder (shade: Porcelain 01) in order to not disturb the foundation when applying other powders on top using the Velvet Luxe LBD Powder Brush. TIP: Blot or press the powder on rather than dragging and swirling the brush to again, not disturb the product.
6. Set the under eyes with Laura Mercier’s translucent setting powder to avoid creasing.
7. Add some color to the face: I love Burberry’s Tangerine Blush, it’s subtle and warm with the perfect hint of a natural flush; use with Real Techniques Blush Brush on apples of cheeks.
8. Set it all down with a dusting of Laura Mercier’s translucent setting powder with the Velvet Luxe LBD powder brush. TIP: again, use the blotting/pressing technique when applying to not disturb the base.
9. On the high points of the face (cheek bones, above the eye brows and brow bone, tip of nose and chin) dust the Becca x Jaclyn Hill highlight in Champagne Pop using Sephora’s Airbrush Pro #55 Brush.

& that’s it folks! It might seem like a lot, but it really isn’t that much, for these steps mentioned, it takes me about maybe 10-15 mins to apply it all. And then an extra 10 or so for brows and mascara and all that jazz. Once you have a set makeup routine, it becomes a lot more fun and easier to apply it all and less of a chore when getting ready in the morning. Having all of your makeup organized so that it’s all easily accessible also makes it easier…. speaking of which, I may be doing a post sometime soon featuring storage and organizing! Stay tuned!

SEPTEMBER FAVORITES – 2015

Well, Hello There! Another month has passed, and what do you know, a lot of products have been in and out of rotation and some have made the cut and seriously stuck out to me, hence landing themselves on the September Issue of my Favorites! This September has been a strange month, veryyyyy hot for us here in the Bay Area, I’m talking 80-95 degree weather, which is bizarre for this time of year, and my oh my do I WANT IT TO BE FALL ALREADY! However, I needed to get one last tan in, so I guess it wasn’t too bad having this inferno month creep up on us. SO, with that being said, these favorites aren’t too fall-heavy as they usually can be.

I made it to Ulta and couldn’t leave the aisle with all the It Cosmetics Brushes, they’re all just too soft!!! I was literally standing there massaging and fondling all the brushes for a good 20 minutes before I actually grabbed one to take home with me. I decided on this big momma of a brush aka the Velvet Luxe LBD Powder Brush #307 to replace my other scraggly and scratchy powder brush. HALLELUJAH! My make up looks fresher than ever with this gloriously soft brush.
On the subject of softness, this Caviar CC 10in1 Hair Cream is outstanding! It claims to add and help with these 10 things: moisture, softness, smoothness, shine, anti-breakage, heat protection, light hold, UV protection, manageability and strength. And the claims hold up to be true! I’ve seen a significant difference in my hair since I’ve used this product and it is for sure a holy grail product for me.
Not sure if I’ve gone into my struggle with finding the perfect foundation for me – I’ve tried countless foundations with all types of formulas and undertones – I’ll do a full post on that another time – and I feel I’ve FINALLY found the right one! I have oily skin and work full 8 hour shifts which cause my make up to be on for 10+ sometimes, and this bad boy holds up extraordinarily well!
DiorStar Fluid Foundation with SPF 20 is a true gem, lasts for ages, doesn’t give flashback despite the SPF,  and looks like real skin. LOVE IT.
I have a loyalty to David’s Tea, and this month, my current favorite that I can’t seem to pass up is Nutty by Nature. It’s sadly a seasonal tea, hence why I’m getting it every time before it’s gone. It’s nutty, sweet, crisp, refreshing and hits all the right notes. It’s a maté tea which is quite heavy in the caffeine department, considered a stimulant, which is another reason why I love it– keeps me up!
As I’ve mentioned before and previously, as an oily skin type of girl, you still gotta stay moisturized, otherwise you will continue to be oily and even oily-er. My month’s pick for moisture control is Boscia’s Revitalizing Black Hydrating Gel which is perfect for us oily gals. Gels are where it’s at: lightweight, cooling and still packs a moisturizing punch! I’ve noticed a huge difference in my skin’s texture and tone which is what this moisturizer targets.
I recently got this lipstick, Mac’s Velvet Teddy,  and have been using it quite a lot, which makes sense why it’s appearing in this month’s favorites– however, I have a feeling this will FOREVER be a favorite. It’s such a timeless and complementary color. It’s the perfect nude color since it has some peachy undertones in it rather than making your lips look non-existent like some nudes can do. It’s a matte lipstick but doesn’t dry out them lips, which again makes it even more loved.
Can’t forget about them lashes! This combo using the Diorshow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum (woah, thats a mouth full!) and Trish McEvoy ‘High Volume’ Mascara in jet black has given my lashes a show of their own. I’ve never had particularly short or long lashes but this combo really shines the light on them. I’ve gotten so many compliments with this duo. It holds the curl all day, is actually very black, and the showstopper, DOESN’T TRANSFER UNDER THE EYES.
Hues of blue have been all the rage this past summer and Formula X’s Oceanic is a true winner. This color is bold and vibrant without being obnoxious/trashy and pops very nicely as an accent color on the nails; especially if black and greys are all that you wear ;). I will say the downside of this nail polish color is the smell– it smells like nasty shitake mushrooms, which I can’t really handle, but if you’re somewhere well ventilated and just don’t breathe in (which you should do anyhow when painting nails) then you should be fine, it’s worth it.

SKINCARE 101

I know I’ve shared my skin’s recovery and transformation in the past– however, that was a bit vague and also more of a cure for active and severe acne. Whereas, this blog post is more of an in depth look at what products I use to maintain clear skin and help repair my skin’s dark spots from the acne.  So, without further adieu, here is a look into my bathroom cabinet and the order of which the products are used..
It looks like a lot, I know. Daunting, I understand. However, it is honestly the way to go in order to keep a healthy and youthful complexion. Expensive, yes. But completely worth it. Your skin is with you FOREVER– just like a leather jacket, a tattoo, a pair of shoes or jeans is an investment, because they are meant to last. So, what about your skin? That epidermis is with you for life, man! So I say, keep it well hydrated and protected from the sun, and it will stay in tact. If these products don’t fit your budget, then there are ways to go about it: budget friendly options, for instance, The Body Shop is a good place to find affordable skincare pieces. But if you have the opportunity to spend and invest, then I highly recommend these products and swear by these guys. You can also get free samples of these products from Sephora before fully committing to buying it. And, not to state the obvious, but you don’t need to buy all of this at once; after all, it took me a while to achieve this skincare routine with all these products– so, it can be something that can be built and bought over time.
So, with that being said, these are the products I use, NOT ALL AT ONCE– but I do stick to the 7-step routine, morning and night. It gets easier and faster the more often you do it, its almost robotic to me now, and even therapeutic after a long day.  The order is very simple and goes from lightest to heaviest:
1. Remove – I don’t like to just wash my face with a full face of make up on, it feels weird. So, I always remove my make up first with either a makeup wipe from Costco [the best] or with Boscia’s Cooling Makeup Breakup Oil.
2. Cleanse – Once the make up is off, then I go in with a cleanser; either Fresh Soy Cleanser / Peter Thomas Roth Camu Camu Exfoliating powder (2x/week) / Peter Thomas Roth Anti-Aging Vitamin C Cleanser / boscia detoxifying cleanser
3. Tone & Correct – If there are any active spots, this is when you would attack so that it can fully penetrate the pimple. I use Origins Spot Treatment here and then you would go ahead and tone. And, this is where I actually do use all the products featured here: Simple Micellar Water / Lush Breath of Fresh Air Spray / Fresh Age-Delay Instant Infusion. This just gives a boost of hydration and preps the skin for the goodies that are yet to come.
4. Oils – Oh oils! How I love you so. So, oily girls– GET SOME OIL IN YOUR LIFE. I have oily skin and the oils still work magically– morning and night! It even lessens the oil production. I don’t use both oils here morning and night, the pink boscia Tsubaki Beauty Oil I use in the morning which again locks in the moisture, helps reduce and prevent wrinkles, plumps the skin, and reduces dark spots. The Tarte Maracuja Oil in the rollerball, I use around my eyes before the eye cream. Then for the PM, I use the Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate which uses essential oils and ingredients to help boost skins tone, radiance and texture.
5. Eye Cream – I use either one of these, depending on how my under eyes feel. I typically have dry under eyes, so these both help a lot. I recently got the Origins Eye Doctor, which I actually love and have been grabbing more than the Kiehls Creamy Avocado Eye Treatment.
6. Serum – This is just a concentrated potion that helps even further with your top skin concerns. The Origins Skin Renewal is the one I usually reach for unless my skin is being extra naughty and then I will grab the Ren Clearcalm 3 gel cream which helps majorly with inflammation and redness in the skin.
7. Moisturize – Again, a lot of oily gals feel they don’t need moisturizer because they think it will make them more oily, but on the contrary! The moisturizer locks in everything that was just applied and acts like a sealant to all the products that were just used. These two moisturizers are great for oily skin and depending on how my skin feels I go for either. The Origins Make a Difference + Rejuvenating Treatment feels like a glass of water for the skin. It sinks in quickly, feels refreshing and is very lightweight and gives the skin a nice dewy look. The boscia revitalizing black gel is a great moisturizer because its lightweight and absorbs excess oils, and minimizes the look of pores and helps the skins’ texture and tone over time.

There, so hopefully this should help you achieve the beautiful skin you have within; sometimes a little products just have to help ease it out! Keep it up and it will become a routine rather than a chore. Tell me what products you use in place of any of the ones I featured here.